Perfectly Innocent by Tamra Lassiter
Publication Date: October 1, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Synposis
Innocent or guilty—there’s nothing perfect about it.
Phoebe Davidson is a good girl who’s been through some bad times. Her life changed forever when she learned that her husband was living a secret life. Now, six years later, she’s just going through the motions of her life, afraid to let anyone in.
When a horrific crime occurs in her home, she meets Logan Matthews, a police detective working the case. When Phoebe herself is charged with the murder, can she trust Logan? Can she, and should she let him into her life?
Excerpt
My spine stiffens.
I thought that I’d
imagined the sound, but there it is again. A muffled gurgle…maybe. Then
silence.
Not a sound that
belongs in my home.
I think of fleeing.
I can’t.
The urge to see
where it’s coming from is too great. Besides, it doesn’t sound threatening. How
stupid would I feel if I called someone to help me, and it was just the
dishwasher overflowing or something
equally frightening?
I breathe in
deeply, taking my fortification from the air around me and then release it
slowly. My heartbeat echoes in my ears.
I take my first
steps, moving gingerly toward the back of the house. Goosebumps wash over my
arms.
The sound echoes
again.
Why am I being so
ridiculous? Get your butt in there and see what the problem is.
It probably isn’t
even that loud, anyway. It just seems that way because it doesn’t belong. I
expel a breath and get on with it. My courage renewed, I ignore the bumps of
warning on my arms, take the turn into the kitchen…and fall to my knees.
Hysteria bubbles to
the surface of my being.
My breaths now
escape as rough sobs.
A black cloud forms
around my vision, but I push it away as I try to assess the sight before me.
There’s blood—so
much blood—in pools and smears on my white floor.
And a man.
Just lying there.
Bleeding.
Something
protruding from his chest.
I choke back the
bile that’s building in my throat. It’s too late to turn back. I crawl to him
slowly on shaky limbs. I sway, dizzy from the sight before me.
His chest rises and
falls, revealing the source of the sound.
Is he alive?
About Tamra Lassiter
I live outside Washington, D.C. with my wonderfully supportive husband and two daughters, one of which is approaching her teenage years. Help us all! If that isn’t enough, we have a Great Dane and an English Bulldog to keep us on our toes. It’s crazy around here and I love every minute of it!
Writing is my third career. I didn't set out to be a writer, it was just meant to be. My Mechanical Engineering degree from Virginia Tech prepared me well for my first career as an Engineer/Program Manager. My second career was in Human Resources. Long story, but I figured it out. I believe the best start for a writing career is to be a reader first and I’ve been an avid reader my whole life. I've loved to read ever since I picked up my first Nancy Drew mystery in the fourth grade. Now I love reading just about everything, but I don’t read sad books and I don’t watch sad movies either for that matter, no matter how many awards they’ve won. Life’s too short and who needs all that strife to bring us down?
Many of my words have been penned late into the evening, which explains why I’ve never viewed whatever television show you recommend to me. I would, however, love to hear your recommendations for a great read!
